Back in Home Sweet Home II

Alt title: One Week in Since I am back at Home.

Keeping up with the list of the local food I missed for the past one year:

Sarawak Laksa! Just from around the neighbourhood but good enough.

The famous Fresh Food Court Teh-C-Peng, the origin of all Three Layered Teh-C-Peng across Malaysia! However, it seems that it also was not spared by rising costs as the price for one was raised for 10cents to RM1.60.

As an extra, Prawn Fritter, Bishop's Nose (Chicken Ass), Yam Fritter and Fish Fritter as snacks in the evening. Had it with my younger bro after spending an evening cleaning up home.

Discovering the rapid development in Kuching for the past one year of my absence:

Just around the neighbourhood (really, about 1km walk from my home), Wisma Sentosa, a small shopping arcade + multi-storey parking with SenQ, the chain electrical appliances store as flagship store.

...with a small pleasant surprise: only the second kiosk of Taiwan ShihLin in Kuching and it's just around the neighbourhood! (Cameo from my younger bro there).

The second standalone (not a part of a larger complex) big box hypermarket in Kuching, Giant Kota Padawan 10th Mile (First one? Giant Tranquility Tabuan Jaya. Yup, no Tesco or Carrefour yet but still good enough I suppose.) Suburban Kuching has experience rapid growth in property recently though I am not entirely keen with suburbanization with complementary improvement of infrastructure. Are we seeing an increasingly car dependent society in Kuching more than ever with the establishment of big box hypermarket?

Anyhow, Giant Kota Padawan is certainly in the mood for Chinese New Year with all the reds. Apparently (from my brother) that Giant is the first place in Kuching that sells Yakult? That's pretty...amusing.

Rant against the downfall of modern technology:

Took my laptop back from Teledynamics. Apparently, there's something wrong with motherboard (or main board, as I heard from phone call. Probably circuitry and such.) that made laptop mute and deaf. If I want to repair, it require a FULL replacement of motherboard and it will costs RM900 while taking more than 4 -12 weeks. Totally unacceptable considering that everything else is working as normal EXCEPT sound and yet it's sound that make an computing/internet experience more...fulfilling. (it's just me probably but still). So what now? Mom suggest buying a new laptop but splurging on random stuff in this day and age of bad economy might not be that wise...but see first about that.

Another thing that started to fail on me: My two years old digital camera. Probably due to my mistake of turning on my camera while it's still in the CAMERA POUCH which push the extendable camera lenses against the pouch. (brian fart happens while I am on the plane being too excited to came back to the land of Sarawak as the plane being descending.). Since then, the focus of my camera went fucked up upon start up and I've to switch it on and off against before it return to normal. So what's wrong with this then?

2012: The Year when Machine Rises Against Human.

Last but not least and related to real life and internet:

Wikipedia, the Free Online Encyclopedia is leading a crusade against the passing of SOPA/PIPA in Congress by going dark for 24 hours thus reminding the users about the possible implication of SOPA/PIPA towards EVERY SINGLE user generated contents on the internet while fighting against internet piracy and copyright infringement which is an appalling crime in itself but by being too general, it became unacceptable as it become too restrictive for everyone. Many other websites are joining the blackout protest as well especially various webcomics sites. From the whole SOPA debacle, we can see that how a law in United States can actually influences the whole globe. I believe everyone of us, even outside of United States should take a stand against the creative and freedom-restricting SOPA/PIPA.  As a Chinese Proverb goes, 不要一竿子打翻整艘船. Do not implicate and paranoid towards all internet users just because trying to curb piracy and copyright infringement. Be reasonable. Be fair.

Epilogue: One week gone and Chinese New Year soon...anyone has visiting plan?